Hang on for a minute...we're trying to find some more stories you might like.

Email This Story

Send email to this addressEnter Your NameAdd a comment hereVerification

As a kid, Demetrius Moorer dreamed of playing professional baseball for the Miami Marlins. Despite playing hard and working even harder to make his dreams come true, Moorer was never drafted by a Major League team. He’s not throwing in the towel just yet, as he’s working his way up the ladder to reach his dream.

The Homestead, Florida native first started playing baseball when he was five years old. Moorer’s older brother, Luke, was playing little league at the time and Moorer wanted to do whatever his big brother was doing. Moorer’s mother thought he was too young to start playing the sport.

His mother eventually caved in and signed him up for tee-ball that year. His coaches quickly realized his skills, specifically his speed, were too advanced. He skipped tee-ball and started to play with the seven through nine year olds where the coaches pitch to the kids.

It wasn’t until the age of 11 while playing travel baseball that he realized he was talented and could make it professionally someday.

“To have the opportunity to play in the major leagues would be a dream come true,” said Moorer.

He would go onto play baseball at the collegiate level, leaving his home state of Florida to play at Eastern Kentucky University.

He did not see much action in his short time there. He was put in as a defensive substitution and a pinch runner as a freshman.

His sophomore season looked promising at the beginning, but was cut short due to injuries and he would not return to his starting role. That influenced him to take his talents elsewhere.

That place was Point Park University.

“He was a team guy,” said head coach Loren Torres. “He provided leadership and played hard every day.”

Moorer played two full seasons under coach Torres in center field where he won a gold glove his junior year with zero errors in 105 chances. He was also named to the all-conference first team both years.

“Playing alongside him in the outfield was a lot of fun,” said former teammate and current Point Park assistant coach Shane Conley.

In his two years as a Pioneer, Moorer hit .362 with 41 stolen bases and 48 RBIs, while committing only three errors defensively.

“He was always encouraging people to be good,” said former teammate and current Pioneer outfielder Edberg Dominguez.

His statistics got the eyes of professional baseball scouts from teams such as the Colorado Rockies, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. The team that expressed the most interest in him according to Moorer was the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Moorer was following the MLB draft closely, waiting for the phone call that would make his childhood dream come true.

But that call never came.

Although his phone never rang, he was not done with the sport he had been playing since he was five.

“I never thought my baseball career was over,” Moorer said about not getting drafted. “I told myself, ‘I am going to make it to the major leagues.’”

Moorer is now on the verge of signing to play baseball for the San Rafael Pacifics in the Pacific Association after spending last fall in the Desert League in Arizona.

After college, Moorer decided to join the Desert League, which is for players who intended to play after college but never got drafted. Moorer played for the Somerton Caneros in the four-team Desert League.

He hit .325 and led the league in stolen bases with 19 in 28 games. His performance helped him receive recognition from the San Rafael Pacifics.

The Pacific Association serves as a development league for players trying to gain recognition and make connections with professional organizations. The season starts May 31.

“God gave me the ability to play baseball and I just want to use it to the best of my ability,” Moorer said. “Although I didn’t get drafted, it has just motivated me to work even harder.”

2 Comments

2 Responses to “Baseball alumnus continues career in pursuit of majors”

John Falbo (PAP) on
March 15th, 2017 5:34 pm

Michael;
As you have indicated the work you did on the baseball career of this player
was a very good piece of journalism. You deserve to be commended. Nice job.
Keep up the good work. Do not stop what your doing. The challenges out there
are many. Accept them all.Good luck to you. we are very proud of you

I second what Pap had to say and I think your article was very well written. Demetrius should be commended on his initiative to never give up and to follow his dream. It may take time but many players start out the same way. Way to go to both of you. Gram